Cap structure holding an inner closure

ABSTRACT

A cap structure holding an inner closure within an outer cap as one body, which is conveniently fixed to a container neck by means of a capping machine and leaves the inner closure on a container neck when the outer cap is removed from a container neck after the cap has been fixed on a container neck.

United States Patent Susuki et al.

CAP STRUCTURE HOLDING AN INNER CLOSURE Inventors: Rinnosuke Susuki,Tokyo; Hiroshi Hoshi, Narashino, Chiba-ken; Shinichi Araki, Funabashi;Shinzo Miyamoto, Soka, all of Japan Raion Yushi Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo,Japan Filed: March 11, 1971 Appl. No 123,199

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data I March l8, 1970 Japan ..45/26067March 19, 1970 Japan ..45/26654 U.S. Cl... ..222/545, 222/570 Int. Cl...'....;....B67d 3/00 Field of Search ..222/498, 147, 570, 562, 545,222/546, 547; 215/38 R 1451 Feb, 6, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,l36,458 6/1964 Ruetz.... 222/493 973,066 10/1910Phillips ..222/562 Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves AssistantExaminer-John P. Shannon Att0rneyCushman, Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACTA cap structure holding an inner closure within an outer cap as onebody, which is conveniently fixed to a container neck by means of acapping machine and leaves the inner closure on a container neck whenthe outer cap is removed from a container neck after th cap has beenfixed on a container neck.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED F B 5 7 SHEET 10F 4 FIG.)

3,715,063 PATENTEDFEB 6 I975 SHEET 20F 4 23 r 20 III/I01 2 sum 30F 4FIG.4

PATENTEDFEB 6 I973 FIGS 3.715063 SHEET 40) 4 33 do 26 3o CAP STRUCTUREHOLDING AN INNER CLOSURE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relatesto a cap structure holding an inner closure and more particularly to acap structure holding an inner closure suitable for containers forliquids, semiliquids, granular materials, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is well known that an inner closure isused with the purpose of controlling the quantity of contents beingdispensed, regulating the direction of distribution of contents beingdispensed, or restricting the cross section of flow of contents beingdispensed to such specific contour as a circle, star, etc, when liquids,semiliquids, granular materials, and the like are dispensed fromcontainers. Examples of such an inner closure are one for a liquiddetergent container which controls the quantity of detergent beingdispensed by means of small perforations thereon, one for a chemicalseasoning container having a large number of small perforations thereon,and, one for a cream or mayonnaise container having a hole through whichcontents are squeezed. In such applications it is required that a capand an inner closure can be efficiently fixed as one body on a containerneck by means of a capping machine and that when the user removes thecap from a container neck the cap is removed but the inner closureremains on a container neck. A conventional typical cap structure whichleaves an inner closure on a container neck when the cap is removed froma container neck is shown in FIG. I. This cap structure forms a cap 3having a top plate I and a skirt section 2, on the internal periphery ofthe skirt section 2 being provided a bead 4, and also forms an innerclosure 7 having a top plate 5 and a skirt section 6, the free end edgeof the skirt section 6 being projected inwards to form a bead 8, andprevents the inner closure 7 from getting out of place by holding theexternal peripheral end 9 of the skirt section 6 of the inner closure 7with the bead 4 on the said cap and also by engaging the bead 8 on theinner closure 7 with a groove 11 formed along the external periphery ofthe bottle neck after the cap has been fixed on the bottle neck 10.

Although expressed in words as above, this cap structure has itstechnical drawbacks in that the bead 4 to be formed on the internalperiphery of the cap 3 and the bead 8 to be formed on the inner closure7 can not be made so high in actuality due to difficulties in demolding0.5 mm at best, and because of lack of uniformity in molding dimensionsvariation as much as 0.2 to 0.3 mm is common, the force to retain theinner closure is not so great and therefore retention of the innerclosure by the cap and fixation of the inner closure to the containerneck are not secure after the cap has been fixed to a container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION,

The present invention provides a cap structure which retains the innerclosure most effectively, completed as the result of study with thepurpose of solving drawbacks involved in the conventional cap structureas described above.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a capstructure in which an inner closure is securely held in a cap before thecap is fixed on a container neck and the inner closure is securelyretained on a container retained after the cap has been fixed on acontainer neck.

The secondary object of the invention is to provide a cap structure inwhich retention of an inner closure in a cap is secure before the cap isfixed on a container neck and retention of an inner closure on acontainer neck is secure and stable after the cap has been fixed on acontainer neck and an inner closure has the retaining mechanism suitablefor plastics-molded containers which are difficult to control toaccurate dimensions.

The third object of the invention is to provide a cap structure in whichan inner closure 7 is securely held by a cap 3 while the cap is beingfixed by a capping machine and an inner closure is held in such a mannerthat facilitates handling.

The fourth object of the invention is to provide a cap structure inwhich is held an inner closure in such a way that an inner closure issmoothly engaged with a groove formed on the external periphery of acontainer neck when a cap and an inner closure are fixed as one body ona container neck.

The fifth object of the invention is to provide a cap structure in whichis held an inner closure so designed that the cap alone is easilyremoved when the cap is unscrewed from a container neck, yet the innerclosure remains securely on a container neck.

The sixth object of the invention is to provide a cap structure in whichretention of-an inner closure in a cap and retention of an inner closureon a container neck is made secure in spite of lack of uniformity inmolding dimensions, by simply forming a moldable low bead or groove on acap, inner closure, or container neck,

which does not need a precise mold nor skilled technique so much.

The invention provides, in combination, a container, an inner closure,and a cap, the container comprising a tubular neck having a portion oflarger outer diameter disposed suprajacent a portion of smaller outerdiameter to provide a downwardly facing shoulder means between theportions, the inner closure comprising a top plate having means defininga dispensing opening therethrough, and a peripheral skirt,circumferential resilient flange means extending generally horizontallyradially inwardly and radially outwardly from connection with the skirt,near the lower extent thereof, the circumferential flange means beingflexible generally angularly about the angular axis of the skirt at thelevel of the flange means connection therewith to generalfrusto-conicality, oriented to have its inner peripheral diameterdisposed above where it had been when the flange means was generallyhorizontal and to have its outer peripheral diameter disposed belowwhere it had been when the flange means was generally horizontal, thecap comprising a top plate and a peripheral skirt having an innerperipheral surface, the skirt having.

bead means formed at a level about the surface, the diameter of theouter peripheryof the flange means when unflexed being at least as largeas the innermost radial extent of the bead means on the cap, relative tothe longitudinal axis of the inner closure so that in inserting theinner closure into the cap so the two skirts project in the same sensefrom the two respective top plates and urging the top plate of theinnerclosure sufficiently toward the top plate of the cap that the outerperiphery of the flange means passes the bead means on the cap totemporarily assemble the inner closure to the cap, the flange means areengaged by the bead means as these two pass, the diameter of the innerperiphery of the flange means after the flange means outer periphery haspassed the bead means on the cap being smaller than the radially outerextent of the larger outer diameter portion of the tubular neck of thecontainer so that as the temporarily assembled inner closure and cap areinstalled upon the tubular neck the inner periphery of the flange meansengages as it passes the larger outer diameter portion of the tubularneck and flexes the flange means toward the general frustoconicality,this disposition being maintained when the inner periphery of the flangemeans becomes disposed below the downwardly facing shoulder means atleast to such extent that the outer periphery of the flange means is ofsmaller diameter than the innermost radial extent of the bead means onthe cap, relative to the longitudinal axis of the inner closure, so thatthe temporary assembly of the inner closure to the cap is extinguished.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjugation with the accompanying drawingwherein:

FIG. 1 is an overall front view of an example of a conventionalwell-known cap structure holding an inner closure, fixed on a containerneck, major parts of the structure being shown as a sectional view;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view of an inner closure of afirst embodiment of the invention, cut in the direction of diameter;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of an inner closure, asshown in FIG. 2, held by a cap;

FIG. 4 is an overall front view of a cap structure of i the firstembodiment of the invention fixed on a container neck, major parts ofthe structure being shown as a sectional view;

FIG. 5 is a front view same as FIG. 4 above, showing a cap structure ofa second embodiment of the invention fixed on a container neck, majorparts of the structure being shown as a sectional view;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view ofa catch ofa cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference now to FIG. 2 andFIG. 4, the cap structure of the first embodiment of the invention isexplained.

In FIG. 2 the numeral designates an inner closure, integrally moldedfrom plastics material into a hollow cylindrical shape having a topplate 21 and a skirt 22. At the center of the said top plate 21 isprovided a dispensing hole 23, through which such contents as liquids,semiliquids, granular materials, and the like are dispensed. On the freeend of the skirt 22 of the said inner closure 20 is formed a flange 24horizontally with respect to the skirt 22. The external peripheral endof this flange 24 is designated by the numeral 25, and the diameter atthis part is assumed a. And the internal peripheral end of the flange 24is designated by the numeral 26. Hence, the external peripheral end 25and internal peripheral'end 26 of the flange 24 project inwards andoutwards of the inner closure 20 a little beyond the internal andexternal peripheral surfaces of the skirt 22, and yet the flange 24rotates with respect to the skirt 22 as shown by an alternate long andshort dash line in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 3 the numeral 27 designates a cap, integrally molded fromplastics material into a hollow cylindrical shape having a top plate 28and a skirt 29. At the intermediate position of the said skirt 29 isformed a head 30 along the internal peripheral surface thereof. Theinside diameter b at the internal surface above the said bead 30 is notgreater than a; in other words b S a. Consequently, when the innerclosure 20 is placed in the cap 27, the flange 24 of the inner closure20 rotates inwards of the inner closure 20 around the connecting part tothe skirt 22, and thus the external peripheral end 25 of the flange 24fits to the head 30 of the cap 27, causing the inner closure 20 to besecurely held. (Refer to FIG. 3.) The diameter of the internalperipheral end 26 of the inner closure 20 when held in the cap isassumed c. In case the inner closure 20 is made of a resilient materialsuch as plastics as with the examples of the invention, the flange 24 ofthe inner closure 20 tends to return to the horizontal state orthogonalwith respect to the skirt 22 in the vertical state as shown in FIG. 2,resulting in more secure fit.

Now, as described in the above, on the container neck 31 to be affixedwith the cap 27 holding the inner closure 20 therein, is formed a groove32 at the external peripheral section mating with the internalperipheral end 26 of the flange 24 of the said inner closure 20, asshown in FIG. 4. Assuming the outside diameter of this groove 32 to bed, the relation d c is established between d and the diameter 0 of theinternal peripheral end 26 of the flange 24 when the said inner closure20 is held securely by the cap 27. The greater diameter part above thesaid groove 32 is designated by the numeral 33. Therefore, when the cap27 holding the inner closure 20 is fixed on the container neck 31, theflange 24 of the inner closure 20 is rotated more than the state asshown in FIG. 2, because the relation d c is established when theinternal peripheral end 26 of the flange 24 fits the groove 32. (Referto FIG. 4.) At this time the outside diameter of the external peripheralend 25 of the flange 24 decreases a little, becoming smaller than b; tobe exact, it gets smaller than the inside diameter of the bead 30. Thus,the engagement of the cap 27 and the inner closure 20 is easilyreleased, enabling one to remove the cap 27 while leaving the innerclosure 20 on the container neck 31. At this time the flange 24 of theinner closure 20 is hooked by the greater diameter part 33 of thecontainer neck 31, with complete prevention of disengagement.

In the example described in the above, the flange 24 of the innerclosure 20 is molded on the entire periphery of the lower end of theskirt 22, but the flange may be of discontinuous type molded at aplurality of positions (at least two positions equally dividing thecircumference) on the circumference.

Referring now to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a cap structure in the secondexample of the invention is described.

The numeral 31 designates the container neck, on the upper part of theexternal periphery of which is formed a groove 32. An upward taperedsection 34 is formed from the upper part of the groove 32 to the upperend of the container neck 31, in order to facilitate the inner closureto be fixed. The inner closure 20 is nearly of hollow cylindrical shapehaving a top plate 21 and a skirt 22', as with the first exampledescribed in the above. To the top plate 21 is provided a dispensingnozzle 23. Also, at the lower end of the said skirt 22 is formed as onebody a flange 24 which inclines toward the inside of the inner closure20. Therefore, the inside diameter of the peripheral end 26 of theflange 24 is made sufficiently smaller than the outside diameter of thegreater diameinternal ter part 33 above the groove 32, so that thesecure engagement is accomplished. In the thickness 35 of the flange 24is formed a slit 36 along the entire periphery thereof. This slit 36 isto facilitate the external peripheral end of the flange 24 to bendinwards.

The cap 27 is nearly of hollow cylindrical shape with a top plate 28 anda skirt 29, which engages with the container neck 31. On the internalperiphery of the cap is formed a plurality of beads 30 at the at thepositions corresponding with the external peripheral end 25 of theflange 24 of the said inner closure 20. (Six positions in theillustrated example.) The outside diameter of the external peripheralend of the flange of the inner closure 20 is made considerably largerthan the inside diameter of the beads 30 of the cap 27 so that the innerclosure 20 is securely held inside the cap 27. Therefore, when the capis placed on a capping machine the inner closure 20 is securely held inthe cap 27, and once the cap and inner closure are fixed as one body ona container neck 31 the internal peripheral end 26 of the flange 24 ofthe inner closure 20 mates with the groove 32 and disengagement in theupward direction is securely prevented by the greater diameter part 33.When the cap 27 is to be removed the cap can be removed with easeleaving the inner closure securely held on a container neck because theexternal peripheral end 25 of the flange 24 is easily bent inwards owingto the slit 36.

As described in the above, the present invention facilitates thehandling of the cap because the inner closure is securely held in thecap when the cap is placed on a capping machine. Further, when the capis removed from a container neck after the cap has been fixed on acontainer neck, it is possible to leave the inner closure alone on acontainer neck because the internal peripheral end of the flange of theinner closure is so designed as to engage securely with the grooveformed on the external periphery of the container neck. Therefore, thisstructure can be said to be convenient for plastics-molded containerswhich are difficult to control their dimensions accurately.

it will be understood that'the invention is not to be limited to theexact structure described in the examples, but that various changes andmodifications may be made in the detailed structure of the exampleswithout departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in theappended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination:

a container, an inner closure, and a cap;

said container comprising a tubular neck having a portion of largerouter diameter disposed suprajacent a portion of smaller outer diameterto provide a downwardly facing shoulder means between said portions;

said inner closure comprising a top plate having means defining adispensing opening therethrough, and a peripheral skirt;

circumferential resilient flange means extending generally horizontallyradially inwardly and radially outwardly from connection with saidskirt, near the lower extent thereof, said circumferential flange meansbeing flexible generally angularly about the angular axis of the skirtat the level of the flange means connection therewith to generalfrusto-conicality oriented to have its inner peripheral diameterdisposed above where it had been when the flange means was generallyhorizontal and to have its outer peripheral diameter disposed belowwhere it had been when the flange means was generally horizontal;

said cap comprising a top plate and a peripheral skirt having an innerperipheral surface; said skirt having bead means formed at a level aboutsaid surface;

the diameter of the outer periphery of the flange means when unflexedbeing at least as large as the innermost radial extent of the bead meanson said cap, relative to the longitudinal axis of the inner closure, sothat in inserting the inner closure into the cap so the two skirtsproject in the same sense from the two respective top plates and urgingthe top plate of the inner closure sufficiently toward the top plate ofthe cap that the outer periphery of the flange means passes the beadmeans on the cap to temporarily assemble the inner closure to the cap,the flange means are engaged by the bead means as these two pass;

the diameter of the inner periphery of the flange means after the flangemeans outer periphery has passed the bead means on the cap being smallerthan the radially outer extent of said larger outer diameter portion ofthe tubular neck of the container so that as the temporarily assembledinner closure and cap are installed upon said tubular neck the innerperiphery of the flange means engages as it passes the larger outerdiameter portion of the tubular neck and flexes the flange means towardsaid general frusto-conicality, this disposition being maintained whenthe inner periphery of the flange means becomes disposed below saiddownwardly facing shoulder means at least to such extent that the outerperiphery of the flangemeans is of smaller diameter than the innermostradial extent of the bead means on said cap, relative to thelongitudinal axis of the inner closure, so that the temporary assemblyof the inner closure to the cap is extinguished.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the diameter of the outerperiphery of the flange means when unflexed is larger than the innermostradial extent of the bead means on said cap, relative to thelongitudinal axis of the inner closure so the flange means must flextoward said general conicality to pass said bead means when beingtemporarily assembled to said cap.

3. The combination recited in claim 2 further including means defining acircumferential groove in the outer periphery of the flange means forincreasing the flexibility of the flange means adjacent this groove.

downwardly facing shoulder means to cam the flange means toward saidfrusto-conicality during said installation of the temporarily assembledinner closure and cap upon the tubular neck of the container.

1. In combination: a container, an inner closure, and a cap; saidcontainer comprising a tubular neck having a portion of larger outerdiameter disposed suprajacent a portion of smaller outer diameter toprovide a downwardly facing shoulder means between said portions; saidinner closure comprising a top plate having means defining a dispensingopening therethrough, and a peripheral skirt; circumferential resilientflange means extending generally horizontally radially inwardly andradially outwardly from connection with said skirt, near the lowerextent thereof, said circumferential flange means being flexiblegenerally angularly about the angular axis of the skirt at the level ofthe flange means connection therewith to general frusto-conicalityoriented to have its inner peripheral diameter disposed above where ithad been when the flange means was generally horizontal and to have itsouter peripheral diameter disposed below where it had been when theflange means was generally horizontal; said cap comprising a top plateand a peripheral skirt having an inner peripheral surface; said skirthaving bead means formed at a level about said surface; the diameter ofthe outer periphery of the flange means when unflexed being at least aslarge as the innermost radial extent of the bead means on said cap,relative to the longitudinal axis of the inner closure, so that ininserting the inner closure into the cap so the two skirts project inthe same sense from the two respective top plates and urging the topplate of the inner closure sufficiently toward the top plate of the capthat the outer periphery of the flange means passes the bead means onthe cap to temporarily assemble the inner closure to the cap, the flangemeans are engaged by the bead means as these two pass; the diameter ofthe inner periphery of the flange means after the flange means outerperiphery has passed the bead means on the cap being smaller than theradially outer extent of said larger outer diameter portion of thetubular neck of the container so that as the temporarily assembled innerclosure and cap are installed upon said tubular neck the inner peripheryof the flange means engages as it passes the larger outer diameterportion of the tubular neck and flexes the flange means toward saidgeneral frusto-conicality, this disposition being maintained when theinner periphery of the flange means becomes disposed below saiddownwardly facing shoulder means at least to such extent that the outerperiphery of the flange means is of smaller diameter than the innermostradial extent of the bead means on said cap, relative to thelongitudinal axis of the inner closure, so that the temporary assemblyof the inner closure to the cap iS extinguished.
 1. In combination: acontainer, an inner closure, and a cap; said container comprising atubular neck having a portion of larger outer diameter disposedsuprajacent a portion of smaller outer diameter to provide a downwardlyfacing shoulder means between said portions; said inner closurecomprising a top plate having means defining a dispensing openingtherethrough, and a peripheral skirt; circumferential resilient flangemeans extending generally horizontally radially inwardly and radiallyoutwardly from connection with said skirt, near the lower extentthereof, said circumferential flange means being flexible generallyangularly about the angular axis of the skirt at the level of the flangemeans connection therewith to general frusto-conicality oriented to haveits inner peripheral diameter disposed above where it had been when theflange means was generally horizontal and to have its outer peripheraldiameter disposed below where it had been when the flange means wasgenerally horizontal; said cap comprising a top plate and a peripheralskirt having an inner peripheral surface; said skirt having bead meansformed at a level about said surface; the diameter of the outerperiphery of the flange means when unflexed being at least as large asthe innermost radial extent of the bead means on said cap, relative tothe longitudinal axis of the inner closure, so that in inserting theinner closure into the cap so the two skirts project in the same sensefrom the two respective top plates and urging the top plate of the innerclosure sufficiently toward the top plate of the cap that the outerperiphery of the flange means passes the bead means on the cap totemporarily assemble the inner closure to the cap, the flange means areengaged by the bead means as these two pass; the diameter of the innerperiphery of the flange means after the flange means outer periphery haspassed the bead means on the cap being smaller than the radially outerextent of said larger outer diameter portion of the tubular neck of thecontainer so that as the temporarily assembled inner closure and cap areinstalled upon said tubular neck the inner periphery of the flange meansengages as it passes the larger outer diameter portion of the tubularneck and flexes the flange means toward said general frusto-conicality,this disposition being maintained when the inner periphery of the flangemeans becomes disposed below said downwardly facing shoulder means atleast to such extent that the outer periphery of the flange means is ofsmaller diameter than the innermost radial extent of the bead means onsaid cap, relative to the longitudinal axis of the inner closure, sothat the temporary assembly of the inner closure to the cap iSextinguished.
 2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the diameterof the outer periphery of the flange means when unflexed is larger thanthe innermost radial extent of the bead means on said cap, relative tothe longitudinal axis of the inner closure so the flange means must flextoward said general conicality to pass said bead means when beingtemporarily assembled to said cap.
 3. The combination recited in claim 2further including means defining a circumferential groove in the outerperiphery of the flange means for increasing the flexibility of theflange means adjacent this groove.
 4. The combination recited in claim 2wherein the bead means is constituted by angularly intermittently placeddiscrete protuberances.